Red Sox 3, Reds 2: Cespedes flexes his muscle

Joe Kelly continued the recent trend of strong starts by Red Sox pitchers, and thanks to a two-run home run by Yoenis Cespedes in the top of the eighth inning Kelly's effort helped Boston to a 3-2 win over the Reds on Tuesday night.

Once, before four of the five starting pitchers who began the season in the Red Sox’ rotation, Boston boasted a strong pitching staff.

It was one that, as the lineup struggled at times to score even a single run, at least kept the Red Sox in games as the season trended downward starting in the middle of May. Occasionally, the Red Sox won simply on the strength of their starting pitcher with the hitters managing to scratch out a single run, maybe two.

It was only three games, but the Red Sox starters posted a 2.49 earned run average in the three games leading up to the start of Boston’s brief two-game series against the Reds in Cincinnati on Tuesday night.

Allen Webster was strong on Friday night, giving up two runs in 6 2/3 innings. Clay Buchholz was decent on Saturday, allowing three runs in eight innings in a game that wound up going 19. And Rubby De La Rosa limited the Angels to one run in seven innings on Sunday.

Joe Kelly continued the trend on Tuesday, and thanks to a two-run home run by Yoenis Cespedes in the top of the eighth inning Kelly’s effort helped the Red Sox to a 3-2 win.

"Having that ability to change the game with one swing of the bat is important to us," Red Sox manager John Farrell said of Cespedes.

The victory improved the Red Sox’ record to 4-3 on their current road trip, which ends with an afternoon affair on Wednesday.

The Red Sox trailed 2-1 after seven innings, but Cincinnati starter Mat Latos exited after the seventh and reliever Jonathan Broxton was brought on for the eighth.

Brock Holt greeted Broxton (4-1) with a single, but Dustin Pedroia lined out and David Ortiz grounded out, leaving Holt at second with two outs and the inning looking like it would come up empty for the Red Sox.

And then Cespedes, one pitch after getting buzzed under the chin by Broxton, crushed the ball 433 feet to give the Red Sox a 3-2 lead.

"He gets a fastball out over the plate and shows how strong he is," said Farrell. "A timely hit."

Kelly, who joined the Red Sox at the trade deadline in the deal that sent John Lackey to the Cardinals, was solid in his first start with Boston, allowing two runs in seven innings against his old team.

Tuesday night, against yet another National League team, the 26-year-old held the Reds to two runs in six innings.

Kelly was his own worst enemy at the start, walking the lightning-quick Billy Hamilton to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Hamilton stole second base — his 44th steal of the season — and reached third when catcher Christian Vazquez’s throw went into center field.

Page 2 of 2 - After a walk to Jay Bruce, Todd Frazier singled to left field to drive in Hamilton. Devin Mesoraco followed with a single to center field to bring home Bruce for a 2-0 Cincinnati lead — still with no outs. Kelly then settled down, however, getting a double-play groundball and a strikeout to escape further damage.

Kelly didn’t allow another run the rest of the way, ultimately allowing two runs on five hits, striking out four and walking three.

"I thought he had very good stuff. … I thought he settled in well," said Farrell.

The Red Sox finally broke through against Latos in the seventh inning, with Daniel Nava leading off the inning with a double and scoring on a single by Xander Bogaerts.

The Red Sox had a chance for more, but after Vazquez sacrificed Bogaerts to second Will Middlebrooks flew out to left field and Mike Napoli, pinch-hitting for Kelly, struck out.

An inning later, Cespedes made sure the missed opportunity for more in the seventh didn’t matter.